Moving into an apartment is exciting — and stressful in equal measure. Boxes to pack, a truck to book, a landlord to notify, utilities to transfer, and a new set of keys to collect. Miss one step and moving day turns into a scramble.
This guide is your apartment moving checklist, worked through in order. Follow the timeline below and you will arrive with everything packed, nothing forgotten, and a plan for the first night and the first week. For more practical rental advice, browse our Apartment Guides.
TL;DR: How to Move Into an Apartment
- Start 4–6 weeks before moving day. Give notice, set a budget, and book movers 10–15 days ahead.
- Confirm the building’s rules early — move-in window, freight elevator, loading dock, parking and mover insurance.
- Measure doorways, hallways and elevators before you order furniture or hire a truck.
- Pack room by room, label every box, and keep documents, medicines and valuables with you.
- Do a move-in inspection on day one — photograph everything and send the photos to your landlord the same day.
- Clean before you unpack, set up the bedroom first, then the bathroom and kitchen.
- Transfer utilities, get renters insurance, and change your address within the first week.
Your Moving Timeline at a Glance
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 4–6 weeks before | Give notice, set your moving budget, start decluttering, research movers |
| 2–4 weeks before | Book movers, confirm building rules, order supplies, start packing non-essentials |
| 1 week before | Pack most rooms, confirm movers and utilities, pack your first-night box |
| Moving day | Supervise loading, do the final walkthrough, collect keys, inspect the new place |
| First week | Unpack in order, set up utilities, change your address, explore the building |
4–6 Weeks Before: Set the Foundations
Give notice to your current landlord
Check your current lease for the notice period — usually 30 days, sometimes 60. Give notice in writing, keep a copy, and confirm the move-out date, the cleaning expected, key return, and the final inspection. If you are leaving early, check whether a break fee applies before you commit to a date.
Set a moving budget
Moving costs add up quietly, so write them down before you book anything: movers or a truck, packing supplies, the deposit and first month’s rent, cleaning supplies, and a buffer. A local move with professional movers often costs a few hundred dollars.
This is also the moment to declutter: every box you do not move is money and time saved. Sell, donate or recycle what you have not used in a year. If you are moving into your first apartment, our first apartment checklist will help you work out what you actually need.
Research movers and get quotes
Get two or three quotes from licensed movers and check reviews, not price alone. Ask what is included: packing, disassembly, stairs, and insurance. If you are hiring a truck yourself, book early — weekend trucks go first.
2–4 Weeks Before: Book Everything
Book movers 10–15 days ahead
Book your movers 10–15 days before moving day at the latest — earlier for end-of-month, weekend or summer moves. Confirm the date, arrival time, truck size and total price in writing.
Confirm the building’s rules
Contact the new building’s management and ask about the move-in window, reserving the freight elevator, where the truck can park, whether you need a street permit, and whether the building requires a certificate of insurance from your movers. Get the answers in writing and pass them to your movers — a mover turned away at the door costs you the whole day.
Measure before you order anything
Measure the doorways, hallways and elevator of the new apartment before you order furniture or confirm the truck size — a sofa that fits the living room is useless if it cannot get through the front door. If you are furnishing from scratch, see how to furnish an apartment on a budget before you buy.
Start packing the non-essentials
Pack what you will not need for the next few weeks first: books, out-of-season clothes, spare linens and decorations. Pack room by room and label every box on two sides with the room and a short list of what is inside.
Use small boxes for heavy things like books and large boxes for light things like bedding. Wrap fragile items individually, fill gaps with towels, and mark fragile boxes clearly. Photograph cable setups behind the TV and computer before you unplug anything.
Moving Week: The Final Push
Confirm the movers, the truck, the elevator booking, the parking permit, and the key collection time, plus your utility start dates — electricity, gas, water and internet should all be on when you arrive.
Pack your first-night box now and keep it with you, not on the truck: bedding and a pillow, towels, toilet paper, soap, a phone charger, a lamp, cleaning supplies, a change of clothes, medicines, snacks, and money for takeout.
Keep your lease, ID, keys, wallet, medicines, laptop and valuables in a bag that travels with you personally.
As each room empties, clean it quickly and check every cupboard and drawer. Photograph the old place once it is empty, as proof of its condition.
Moving Day: Your Moving Day Checklist
Start early. Before the movers arrive, clear a path and put your personal bag and first-night box in your car. Be there while the movers work and check that fragile boxes are handled properly.
Once the truck is loaded, walk through every room, open every cupboard and drawer, and check behind doors. Lock up and hand the keys back as agreed.
At the new apartment, collect the keys and do the move-in inspection before anything is unpacked. Then direct the movers room by room and note any damage immediately.
Move-In Inspection: Protect Your Deposit
The move-in inspection is the most important thing you will do on moving day, and it takes about twenty minutes. Walk through with the landlord or agent and photograph everything: walls, floors, windows, doors, appliances, taps, and any existing damage, however small — scratches, stains, cracked tiles, and anything that does not work.
Send the photos to your landlord the same day, in writing, and keep a copy of the signed inspection form. This protects your deposit when you move out. Test everything on day one too — taps, toilets, switches, heating, locks, and appliances — and report any problem in writing immediately.
If you are moving in with roommates, agree who is responsible for the inspection and the landlord messages. Our guide on how to live with roommates covers how to split these jobs fairly from day one.
Clean Before You Unpack
Clean the new apartment before you unpack a single box — empty floors and cupboards are far easier to clean than ones hidden under boxes. Wipe kitchen cupboards and worktops, clean the bathroom, vacuum and mop the floors, and wipe window sills. If you spot signs of pests, see how to get rid of bugs in an apartment before you settle in. For a full room-by-room clean, follow how to clean an apartment.
Set Up in This Order: Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen
Do not try to unpack everything on day one. Set up in the order that makes the apartment liveable fastest.
Bedroom first. Assemble the bed, put on the bedding, and hang a curtain if the window is bare. Once you can sleep properly, everything else can wait.
Bathroom second. Hang the shower curtain, put out towels, toilet paper and soap, and unpack toiletries.
Kitchen third. Unpack the essentials only: a pot, a pan, plates, cups, cutlery, and cleaning supplies.
Then work room by room, one box at a time, and break down empty boxes as you go. Set a small daily target — five boxes a day — and the apartment will be done within a week.
Utilities, Insurance and Address Change
Set up and transfer utilities
Make sure electricity, gas, water and internet are in your name and switched on. Take meter readings on day one and photograph them. If the internet needs an engineer visit, book it before moving day.
Get renters insurance
Renters insurance is typically $15–$30 a month, and many landlords require proof of it before they hand over the keys. It covers your belongings against theft, fire and water damage. Your landlord’s insurance covers the building, not your things.
Change your address
Within the first week, update your address with the post office, your bank, your employer, your doctor, your car insurance and driving licence, voter registration, and any subscriptions. Work through the list in one sitting — it takes less than an hour.
First-Week Settling In
Meet the neighbours, learn where the bins go and when they are collected, find the nearest supermarket and pharmacy, and test the commute at the time you will actually travel. Save the building manager’s and landlord’s numbers in your phone.
Check the things you could not check on moving day: noise at night, water pressure in the morning, heating. Report anything wrong in writing. Then organise the space — our guide on how to organize a small apartment will help, and how to decorate an apartment on a budget shows how to make it feel like home without overspending.
FAQ: How to Move Into an Apartment
How far in advance should I start planning a move?
Start 4–6 weeks before moving day, book movers 10–15 days ahead, and do the core packing in the last two weeks.
What should I do first when moving into an apartment?
Do the move-in inspection first and send the photos to your landlord the same day. Then clean before you unpack, and set up the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen in that order.
How do I prepare my new apartment before moving in?
Clean it before your boxes arrive, test the taps, toilets, switches and appliances, take meter readings, and make sure utilities and internet are switched on.
What should be in a first-night box?
Bedding and a pillow, towels, toilet paper, soap, a phone charger, a lamp, cleaning supplies, a change of clothes, medicines, snacks, and money for takeout. Keep it with you, not on the truck.
How much does it cost to move into an apartment?
Budget for the deposit and first month’s rent, plus a few hundred dollars for movers or a truck, packing supplies, and cleaning products.
Final Thoughts
Moving into an apartment is a process, not a single day. Give notice early, set a budget, book movers 10–15 days ahead, and confirm the building’s rules before the truck arrives. On the day, inspect first, clean before you unpack, and set up the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen in that order. Then sort out utilities, insurance and your address in the first week. Do it in that order, and the move will feel manageable — even enjoyable.
